Quiet Company
by HouseAddict16
Summary: House and I have more in common than we think...Summary isn't too good, this is a new idea for me R and R please.
1. Chapter 1

Ok, so I've been trying to juggle two fan fics at the same time, and I needed a completely fresh, new idea to lead me away from the others for now. So I decided to put myself in a fic with House. Let me know how it goes.

* * *

I sit next to him on the couch. We are watching some show, but I'm really just watching him. He's not even doing anything, just has his feet on the coffee table watching intently at the screen. I try to memorize everything about him; his scent, his outfit and everything. Jeans, t-shirt, Nikes, the package is complete with his amazing blue eyes, cane, messy hair and stubble. He's perfect and he doesn't know it. Smart and attractive.

A commercial break starts and he catches me staring.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer."

"I'd love to."

He just smirks and limps off to the kitchen.

"You want anything?"

"No thanks." I really love to have him, but I'll settle for him next to me on the couch for now. I love to hear him talk. I don't care what he says, I just love his voice. It's distinct and every time I hear it I picture him and I almost melt. He comes back and sits down again. I half pay attention to the commercials, but he sees right through me and I finally decide to ask a question or two while he still has some time to kill.

"You and I are similar."

"How so?"

"We both only like company to know that we aren't alone. We don't want to talk; we just want to sit there in each other's company knowing that we have someone on this earth who cares enough to just sit with us."

"That's defiantly a possible assumption."

"What it's not true?"

"No, it's entirely true; which is scary considering we haven't been hanging out much at all. My ability to read people must be rubbing off on you."

"Must be."

The show came back on and we got quiet again. While he was watching I was thinking about anything and everything. I had only known him a few weeks now and I couldn't remember how we had met. It doesn't matter now, all that matters is that we spend time together and enjoy each others almost silent company. We feel like we don't need people, yet we want to know that at least someone is there for us when we need them. I continued to think well into the commercial break. When I came out of my thoughtful daze I discovered that it was him staring at me this time. Just looking intently, almost as if he was trying to look inside my mind to discover what I was thinking about.

"So where did you go while I was watching the show?"

"What do you mean, I was right here."

"No, physically you were here; mentally you were far from here."

"Oh, just thinking."

"That's my line and it's always a lie. What's on your mind?"

"Since when do you get all personal?"

"Hey, I gotta care for someone. You said so earlier. I need company even if it's silent company. So what's up? I can keep secrets."

"I was just thinking about how I think that I don't need people but I really need at least a couple just to know that someone is there for me, and so do you."

"I do?"

"Yeah, you keep at least two people close to you in case you need anything and they are always there. When do I get to join that little club of yours?"

"Oh I don't know."

"Alright I shared one with you, now it's your turn."

"Oh, saved by the show."

His show returned and this time I watched with him. I had no clue what was going on, but I knew that it was some what important to him so I watched. At the commercial break he didn't say anything and I wasn't going to pry much further than I had already done. He finally started with a question. I was hoping for just an answer from him, but any conversation was fine with me.

"Why do you like my company?"

"Because you are just there. You're available for conversation within reason and you allow me to sit here and think and randomly ask things. I don't have to talk if I don't want to, same with you. We both get that sometimes the quiet company is the one you want. I'm here for you if you need me, and hopefully you are the same for me. My turn. Do you like my company?"

"I must say that I do."

"Why?"

"For almost the same reason. I just need someone to be there in case of anything. I like knowing that someone is there if I need to talk, but are ok if I don't talk at all. The best company for me is the quiet understanding type and you fit that well. You don't pry like Wilson or overly care at times like Cuddy. I like that you care, but don't express it unless I need it. That good enough?"

"Anything you would have said would have been good enough. The show's returning."


	2. Chapter 2

Quiet Company ch.2

I woke up and found myself still on the couch with a blanket throw around me to cover me up. As I woke up I remembered how I ended up on the couch. We were watching TV which lasted until all hours of the night. I ended up falling asleep and he decided that I could stay there and topped it off with a blanket. I got up, stretched and checked my watch. It read almost 9:00, so I walked by his bedroom on my way to the bathroom. He was still sleeping and I didn't wake him, if he was going to be late that was his fault, I wasn't going to worry about him just so I felt useful. I returned from the bathroom and padded down the hall to the living room, to find him sitting on the couch with a puzzled look on his face.

"What's that look for?"

"You're still here?"

"Yeah, fell asleep and just got up. That ok? If not I'll get out of your way."

"Nah, you're fine. Guess we better get to work soon huh?"

"Maybe, being late consistently isn't really praised."

We eventually ended up going to work, late of course but late is better than not going at all. We worked at opposite ends of the hospital so we don't usually run into each other in the duration of our day. I texted him during my lunch. "Up for some more quiet company tonight?" He replied, "Sure." I enjoy his company and I enjoy him completely. I might even be forming a thing for him. He's everything I want and need. We understand each other and we just get each other. That doesn't happen too often so I've gotta hold on to this while I can.

I got to his house before he did, he had another case and this one was going to take some time. I let myself in, the key hiding wasn't too hard to find, considering that I was getting to know him more and more everyday, even if he didn't talk. When he got in I was sitting on the couch with my bare feet on the coffee table.

"What the hell are you doing? Why are you in my house? Don't you have your own house?"

"I'm staring at my past, thought we were hanging out. Yes I have my own house, but I thought that we could be alone together tonight."

"What? You make no sense."

"Like you care."

"I do care. What's going on?"

"Oh, I don't know. I find myself staring at my scars from time to time, trying to remember things how they were before my surgeries. I can't remember a lot of the things about me that were before the surgery. Like how my feet looked and what the pain felt like. I remember that during my healing I got up to like a 7 on the scale, but I'm sad to say that I can't remember the pain now and I want to remember it for some odd reason."

"Believe me you don't want to remember 7 pain. I have that daily and its hell on earth in my book. For me it's the opposite, I stare and try to remember the no pain before my surgery. Now all I have is a disfigured thigh and a pile of agony to go along with it. If I could remember the before and the lack of pain I had, man my day would be great."

"Did the pain change you? Or are you the same as you were before?"

"It might have changed me. I might be more anti-social now than I was before, but I'm not much different. What's up with these 20 questions tonight? Why do you keep hanging around?"

"I don't know I just have too much in my head. You must know what that is like. I just like having some one to talk to occasionally. I like your house, it's quiet. Am I in the way, do I disrupt your alone time? If you want me to get the hell out just say so."

"No, your quiet company is welcome. You don't blow dry your hair do you?"

"No, why?"

"Just curious. You can stay as long as you are willing to put up with my antics. My late sleeping, late staying up and all that."

"Consider yourself put up with."


	3. Chapter 3

**This addition may just be useless dribble but it made me feel better in a way so i wrote it. This fic just works that way. Let me know what you think. I think it will continue to be updated randomly and probably never be complete.**

Quiet Company 3

We grew as friends and established unofficial rules indirectly. We completely understood each other and knew that if we wanted to continue hanging out and keep our quiet company quiet then some guidelines or rules must be established. We didn't write them out or state, here are the rules; they just kind of formed.

1. No direct contact or conversations while at work. Texting and phone calls were alright, we just didn't want it getting around that we were hanging out. Could be strange but we have a good thing going and neither of us wanted to lose that.

2. We are just friends, nothing more. Again, we have a good thing going and no one wants sexual tension to get in the way or ruin the good thing. One can think what they want about the other, but feelings must be discussed if it were to go further.

So there aren't very many rules but it's all understood.

As the days went on we strayed from our evenings together, for work picked up and our other personal lives, our lives without each other, demanded attention. I noticed that when my personal life picks up is when I miss his company the most. Live is demanding and one of the only ways for me to cope is to use my quiet company. I was having a particularly rough day and decided to text him. "Quiet company lacking in your life?" He replied later with, "Yea, you too?" I responded in agreement and we were going to just hang out, this time at my place. It had always been at his house prior, but I really didn't care where it was, I just wanted his company. When you get a good friend and then you stop hanging out you tend to miss that time together, no matter who it is.

I went home before he left, I called and left a message about how to get to my house and then I just left. My day was just crap and I thought of waiting for him but decided against it and went home. I had had enough and just needed to get home, I hoped he would understand and not be an ass like he could be occasionally. Once I was home I could finally unload my feelings. I shed my jacket at the door, took my Ipod out of my bad and flopped onto the couch, it was time to de-stress. Usually if the stress mounts too high my downfall includes the shedding of tears, I hoped he would arrive after the tears had been shed, not before and defiantly not during. Work was hell, I had lost three patients in four days and that's not good when you're working in the medical profession. With that heavy toll on me other stressors such as family tension mounting with their own problems it was just too much.

With the music randomly shuffling I just let the stress go, let the flood gates down and shear a few tears. He found the place just fine, which I discovered as he came in. He found me in a horrible state, tears running down my face I was just a wreck. He hung his jacket on the coat rack, that's when I saw him. My eyes were closed and I just happened to open them at that time, when he was just in my field of view. Considering I'm a rather short woman there was room for him to sit on my couch, despite me lying down. I wasn't sure what to do, do I try to stop my feelings or do I just keep going. I decided to stop and sit up, now he was on one end of the couch and I was on the other. I took the headphones out of my ears and just sat there, staring at my hands. I was half embarrassed and half ready to discuss why I was in the state I was, even if I shed some more tears in the process. He had already seen it so there was no more embarrassment that was already established.

We sat in silence. I wanted him to ask me something, anything. If I started it I would probably break down again. After a few minutes he did start talking.

"Do you want to talk about it or do you just want to sit here in the quiet?"

"A little bit of both. Do you get like that?"

"What were I really need to tell someone some thing but don't for multiple fears?"

"Yeah you could say that."

"Yeah sometimes."

"What do you do?"

"Talk to the ceiling."

I smiled a little; I think that was part of his goal since he smiled back. I gained enough courage to look into his eyes at this time. Mine all red from crying but still blue, not a piercing blue as his are.

"I should try that sometime."

"You should. I didn't notice that you have blue eyes too."

"Yep, but yours… well yours are amazing."

He blushed a little. "Can I ask what caused the state of destruction I saw you in as I came in?"

"Sure, but you kinda already did."

"True."

"Stress just mounted. That's kinda why I wanted you here but I didn't want you to see that. Between work and life it was just too much and I crashed."

"I hear ya. Don't feel like you have to elaborate, I'm not trying to pry, but if you feel better if you pore your soul to a stranger, go right ahead."

"You're not a stranger." I paused, formulating why he was being so nice. "You're never this nice to anyone, why me?"

"Friends that need me, I'm nice to more often than most other people."

"I consider myself lucky then."

More silence followed our bout of conversation. My mind began to wander into my horrible day again as he just sat and staring into nothing. I couldn't believe I was this stressed, but I started getting worked up again and the tears were flowing. Part of me was furious with everything, that I couldn't be the doctor I wanted to be, that my family shouldn't bug me miles away with their problems but a phone call will do that to you. I just let it go, he wasn't one to judge. He could have left if he wanted to, but he didn't. Instead he did something I never thought would happen, ever. He came closer to me on the couch and put his hand on me. I don't even remember where. Next thing I knew my small frame was collapsing on his noticeably larger frame and he just took me in. He just got me. He knew I needed someone and he accepted that I needed him. We sat in silence like that for a while and then he spoke softly while stroking my hair. He was so gentle. His appearance is very deceiving in that aspect; it hides the gentle and kind man that lives under that hard weathered shell.

"How are you now?"

"Better…"

I was about to thank him when he cut me off.

"No need to say more. I get you remember?"

He was just what I needed that night and he knew it. Scary how someone can get you so well without you having to tell them everything.


End file.
